I NI^'rM AT IO^s[-f 



Ml'] 



ITH UNCLE SAii'S NATURALISTS. 



RELEASi 



U. B. 



of AscTicoltare 



gj-iday, -May 20, 1932 



FOR BROADCAST USE ONLY 



AITNOUNCEtiENT : Again we join the trek into the woods with Uncle Sam's Naturalistf 

 of the United Statos Department of Agriculture. But from what the specialists \ 

 soy, we are not alone. | 



The thicker people get in the cities, the more of them there are who 

 want to get into the woods. 



Dana Parkinson, of the United States Forest Service, says the number of 

 visitors to o^or national forests has jumped 1,000 per cent in the past fifteen 

 years. 



As Mr. Parkinson points out, more and more of our people seem to be 

 learning the value of outdoor recreation and are feeling the need for it. 



There's no question about it. The "sounding silences" of the forest 



primeval often give us sweet relief from the noises of the city. At least, 



after the first night or two in camp, anyway. A group of trees, a green moun- 

 tainside, a good suTjply of game, all give us refreshment and diversion. 



But according to Mr. Parkinson, and I guess he is right about it, all 

 us folks who love the outdoors, and get into the mountains or the forests 

 whenever we can, want the forest resources conserved. Some folks even insist 

 tliat there should be no cutting of timber, no grazing, and no hunting whatso- 

 ever in our national forests. Of course, the idea of trying to preserve our 

 forest life in all its beauty is mighty fine. But just letting nature take 

 its course, doesn't always get the results you really want. Instead of pre- 

 serving the forest, you uay be doing just the opposite. 



Forester Parkinson just calls our attention to wlaat hap-oens if nan never 

 fells a tree in the forest. If no trees are cut, he says, often 50 or more 

 seedlings start to a square foot. That's over 100,000 trees to the acre. 



You know what has to happen. Those 100,000 trees ai'e in a Icilling com- 

 petition for what light and moisture and soil food there is. Many of those 

 trees must die and be wasted before others can get room enough to grow to 

 large size. Eventually, old age, fungi, insects or fire will get what are 

 left. 



Mr. Parkinson sees very little advantage in tliat sort of protection. 

 If on the other hand, man harvests and uses the surplus and mature trees be- 



